The champion Air Force shooting team with Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa comprising Corporal PMMR Fernando, Corporal NP Wijesooriya, Corporal HKDD Fernando, Corporal (miss) MGDPK Mudunkoth, Leading Aircraftwoman HDCL Wickramasinghe, Corporal (miss) AT Mekala, Corporal RGP Madushanka, Leading Aircraftwoman HK Chamila Kumari, Corporal (miss) WMS Waidyaratne, Corporal HTWJ Priyashan, Corporal RGP Madushanka, Corporal HST Gayashan, Corporal GH Kodithuwakku, Leading Aircraftman LLC Chathuranga, Corporal KADSI Bandara, Corporal JPH Padmasiri, Corporal PEGNM Vithana and Leading Aircraftman SKGNS Bandara
Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa makes an impassioned plea that shooting Be taken to the next level with an eye on world qualification:
Being an Olympic sport plans are afoot to develop shooting to higher levels with the intervention of sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa who spelt out his vision when he graced the Sharp Shooter 2020 championship held at the Hantana Shooting Range.
The winners at this event received their trophy from Minister Rajapaksa.
“For a long time we were compelled to use guns for the wrong reason,” said Minister Rajapaksa. “It is time we took shooting to new heights in sports. Shooting has great promise among Sri Lankans. I know that the shooters face a lot of difficulties but we must go forward,” added the Minister.
He exhorted that within the next five years shooting should reach international level and Sri Lanka must produce medal winners at the South Asian, Asian, Commonwealth and Olympic Games by 2024.
The armed forces Army, Navy, Air Force and Police along with some private clubs have been striving for success internationally but with very little headway.
Sri Lanka had produced several Olympic shooters in the past and the ministry is ready to extend their fullest corporation to develop the sport.
Malini Wickramasinghe and Pushpamali Ramanayake were the best shooters produced in Sri Lanka who won gold medals at the 1994 Commonwealth Games while both of them also had the chance to represent Sri Lanka at the Olympics.
Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, a former Sri Lanka rugby captain, is currently on a dream crusade to pull out the island’s sports from a huge mess that has plummetted the country’s sporting image to a low level on the international scene.
Air Force shooters bagged 11 gold, nine silver and seven bronze medals at the championships that was organised by the Hill Country Sports Shooting Club.